WEST SPRINGFIELD — The city has hired William Reichelt as its new full-time town attorney.

Reichelt is currently in his second week on the job. He was introduced by Mayor Edward C. Sullivan to the city council last week.

“I’m really excited to be here,” Reichelt said. “I’ve grown up here and I’ve been involved in the government on the Planning Board volunteer side for six or eight years. It’s an exciting and rewarding experience to be here now.”

Simon J. Brighenti Jr. has been the city’s attorney since 2012 and will remain an associate attorney, Sullivan said. However, the city has been without an in-house attorney for a number of years, he said.

“Going forward, I am thrilled to have Will be a part of the team here in West Springfield,” said Brian J. Griffin, city council vice-president. “I think he’s going to do a tremendous job and he’s already just hit the ground running. I hold him in tremendous regard.”

Reichelt, 28, received his license to practice law in October. Previously, he interned in Agawam as a law clerk from April 2012 until October 2013. He was hired by the city of Agawam as a full-time municipal attorney in November 2013, and served in that role until this month.

“I was at the study session (for the Memorial Avenue Entertainment Overly District) the other day on Tuesday. We’re just putting the final touches on it,” Reichelt said. “So, I’m kind of getting in at the end, but new zoning stuff that comes in, I’ll obviously be with that from the beginning, which will be exciting.”

In addition to the Planning Board, Reichelt previously served on the Community Preservation Committee and the Housing Authority in West Springfield. He said he also was a representative to the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission.

“Each department, I’m sure, has their own pet projects that they want to work on,” he said. “Having me here all the time will be an opportunity to move those things forward. I've taken the small things, the day-to-day issues, along with large projects and whatever litigation they have going on that I’ll be involved in.”

The city appropriated $72,000 in its fiscal 2015 budget (see below) under Personnel Services in the Law Department budget for the town attorney's annual salary. The total Law Department budget for the upcoming fiscal year is $152,600.